Press for watch crystals



Agg. 30, 1938 H. A. MxNrz ,PRESS FOR WATCH CRYSTALS Filed Feb. 1e, `1957 commonly used in wrist watches, since such may be made to approach or recede from the 'l0 Patented Aug. 30, 1938 oNiTED STATES PATENT oFFicE PRESS FOR WATCH CRYSTALS Henry A. Mintz, Norwood, Mass.

Application February 16, 1937, Serial No. 126,007 4 claims. (o1. 81-6) This invention relates to a device for pressing form member 20 is secured to the end of the Watch crystals in bezels and at the same time lower bracket I4 as by a pair of screws 22 so that applying a moderate heat to set the crystal more this platform projects horizontally from the rmly in the bezel. bracket. The upper bracket is of sufficient length The device hereinafter described is useful in to project out over the platform 2l). Through the setting crystals of any kind, particularly unupper bracket is screw-threaded a stem 24 havbreakable crystals which are made of transpar- 'ing a knurled upper end 26 to facilitate rotaent Celluloid or other equivalent non-shatterable tion thereof. The 10Wer end DOltiCn 23 0f this material. Watch crystals of this material are stem projects down toward the platform 20 and watches are liable to receive accidental blows. Piatferm by IOtatiOn f the Stem. A Press-plate However, when such crystals are inserted in a 30 is SDaCed abOVe the PlatfOrm 20 and is engagebezel in the usual manner, they are ordinarily able by the Wer end 0f the stem 24- This Pressdistorted and are therefore liable to spring out plate may be 0f any COnVenient ConstrllCtiOn and of the bezel if struck, particularly if the bezel may be supDOrted n any Convenient manner. As itself is even slightly out of shape. Itis an object shown, this Piate is elongated, One end DertiOn of this invention to remove this tendency to oi the plate having a perforation 32 in which spring out by cementing the edges of the crystal 100Se1y ts a 100St 34. This post is mounted in into the groove of the bezel and by heating the the U-Dper braCket and prOleCts dOWn t0 the 10Wer crystal sufficiently to destroy the internal stress braCket. This arrangement makes it DOSSible t0 20 ci the crystal. CrysteIs of this type are cusswing the press-plate 30 over or away from the tomarily convex and are made with suflicient platform and t0 rnOVe it Illa and dOWn freely curvature to enable the central portion to bulge 0n the DOSt 34- The 10Wer braCket is DrOVided away from the face ef the Watch, thus providing with a bore 40 extending horizontally therefrom plenty of room for the Watch hands, from the rear face of the upright I2. This bore It is a further object of the invention to proregisters With a bOre 42 WhiCh eXtendS most of vide a simple but effective pressing device Wherethe Way thrOllgh the piatfOrm member 2t. As by a constant pressure may be applied to the indicated in Figure 3, the bores and 42 are central portion of a mounted crystal, so as to adapted t0 IeCeVe a Suitable heating unit 5U press the edges 0f the Crystal firmly into the having a coil or equivalent heating element 52 in 30 groove of the bezel during the drying and setthe forward end thereof WhCh ts snugly in the ting of the cement which is inserted in the groove bOre 42. This unit may be held in plaCe by any of the bezel before the crystal is set therein. Convenient means SuCh as a bushing 53 of Bake- The press is also provided with e, heating element lite or other convenient material, secured as by conveniently arranged to heat the crystal and a SetsCreW 54 in a hOllOW bOSS 55 Whieh projects 35 bezel while they are being pressed. from the rear face of the upright I2. The rear For a more complete understanding'of the inend Of the heating unit 50 may be tapered so as vention, reference may be had. to an embodiment t0 Center the unit as the tapered end S Pulled thereof which is hereinafter described and which intO the bOre 0f the bushing 53- FCr this Duris illustrated on the drawing of which pose a spring 58 may be employed, if desired, the 40 Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodyspring extending to a control switch (not shown) ing the invention. so as to remain under compression. The spring Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig- 58 also serves to protect the connecting wires 59 ure 1. which lead from the unit to its control switch.

Figure 31s a section on the line 3 3 of Figure The bore 4I) is preferably somewhat larger in 45 2, a heating unit being shown in this figure, diameter than the heating unit 50 so as to avoid Figure 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Figcontact of the unit with the walls of the bore, ure 1. the purpose of this being to avoid excessive heat- Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of ing of the bracket I4. To this end also, the end the device shown in Figure 1. of the bracket is recessed by a horizontal channel 50 The device may include aunitary support frame 6| and a pair of vertical channels 6I) so that the comprising a base I0 from which rises a. standtable member 20 bears against the end of the ard or upright I2. A lower bracket I4 and an bracket I4 at only a few spaced points to proupper bracket It project from the upright I2 and vide simple but effective thermal insulation beare vertically spaced from each other. A plattween the table and the bracket. 55

In using the device for setting a crystal, the bezel of a watch, if removable from the rest of the watch case, is placed upon the platform 2i] either face up or face down, the former position being preferred. The bezel is located so that the center of the crystal is directly beneath the stem 24, the stern being previously rotated to back the end 28 away from the platform sufiiciently to provide room for the watch bezel. The press-plate 3B is then swung into position over the crystal and the stem 24 is rotated so as to press the end 28 against the plate 30, forcing the plate down firmly against the central portion of the crystal until the edges of the crystal are pressed firmly into the groove of the bezel. The bezel or watch case is then left clamped in this position for a sufficient period to permit the crystal to be warmed and the cement to set. The stem 24 is then raised to permit the removal of the bezel or case from beneath the plate 3U.

In setting unbreakable watch crystals, I prefe-r to use a cement made of material similar to that of the crystal dissolved in a suitable volatile solvent. Such cement, when set, becomes integral with the crystal itself, resulting in a unitary crystal the edges of which exactly fit into the grooves of the bezel and bond therewith.

In some cases, the bezel or watch case is arcuate or has a portion of the hinge or some other part of the case projecting below the plane of the bottom of the case or the edge of the bezel. In order to avoid injury to the watch case which might result from pressing such a case against a fiat surface, an auxiliary support member 'i0 is provided. This may be of any convenient size or shape. As shown, the support 1Q consists of a bar of metal having a perforation 12 in one end portion thereof through which extends the post 35i, so that the support member 'l0 can be swung into positionk upon the platform member 2li, as indicated in Figure 5, or may be swung away as indicated in Figure l. Figure 1 shows a watch case M with a flat back supported directly on the platform 20. Figure 5 shows an arcuate watch case 'i6 supported on the auxiliary support member Iii. The use of the narrow auxiliary support avoids danger of injury to the watch case.

It is evident that various modifications and changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. It

is further noted that terms, such as horizontal, vertica and the like, are terms of description and not of limitation, and that the device may be used in any convenient position desired.

I claim:-

1. A device of the class described, comprising a platform, heating means within said platform, an auxiliary support member of heat-conducting material movable on and oif said platform, a press-plate abo-Ve said platform, and means for pressing said press-plate toward said platform.

2. A device for pressing watch crystals in bezels, comprising a supporting frame having a base, an upright, and a pair of vertically spaced brackets on said upright, a platform projecting horizontally from the lower bracket and heatinsulated therefrom, heating means within said platform, a press-plate above said platform, and means carried by the upper bracket for pressing said plate toward said platform.

3. A device for pressing watch crystals in bezels, comprising a supporting frame having a base, an upright, and a pair of vertically spaced brackets on said upright, a platform projecting horizontally from the lower bracket and heatinsulated therefrom, a post xed to said lower bracket and projecting upwardly therefrom, a press-plate having a perforation loosely receiving said post, said plate being of sufficient length to extend over said platform, and a stem screw threaded through the upper said bracket and projecting toward said platform and engaging said plate, whereby said stem may be rotated to press said plate toward said platform.

4. A device for pressing watch crystals in bezels, comprising an upright, a pair of vertically spaced brackets projecting from said upright, a platform projecting from the lower of said brackets, an electric heating unit extending through said upright and lower bracket into said platform so as to heat said platform, a post fixed to said lower bracket and projecting upwardly therefrom, an elongated auxiliary support member and an elongated press-plate, said member and plate each having in an end portion thereof a perforation in which said post loosely fits, whereby said member and plate can be independently swung over or away from said platform, and a vertical stem directly above said platform and screw-threaded through the upper bracket and engaging said plate so as to press said plate toward said platform when said stem is rotated.

HENRY A. MINTZ. 

